Olympic organizers '100%' confident NHL will play in Milan Cortina despite arena delays

MILAN (AP) — Olympic organizers are “100%” confident the NHL won’t pull out of the Milan Cortina Games with the new ice hockey arena finally ready. Or almost.

Construction delays and other concerns about the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena have drawn headlines for weeks ahead of the NHL returning to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014 and the women’s tournament opening on Feb. 5.

The NHL has expressed concern about the construction and quality of the ice surface. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last month in Winnipeg that the league would not send its players if there were any safety concerns.

When Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for Milan Cortina, was asked on Friday how confident he was that NHL players would participate, he said, “100%, 100%.”

IOC sports director Pierre Ducrey echoed his sentiments.

“I’m very confident they will be here and it’s going to be extremely exciting,” Ducrey said. “We’re very excited they’re coming back; 12 years, there was a lot of work from a lot people to make sure this happens.

“So, yeah, you will have NHL players here in February and it is going to be amazing.”

The NHL is expected to release a statement at the end of its visit to the new arena, with a delegation at a long-awaited test event over the next three days.

The first match of the test event — the final league and cup games of the domestic season — was briefly delayed to fix what organizers said was a small hole in the ice.

A spokesperson from the Milan Cortina organizing committee told The Associated Press the ice master — Don Moffatt, who works for the Colorado Avalanche — was happy with the ice and reassured them that this was a completely normal occurrence that can happen the first time the ice is skated on.

Florian Wieser, who played in the game, posted to social media: “It was a small hole that was fixed in 5 minutes. Ice was really good, I was surprised how good it was and it will only get better.”

The original test event scheduled in December didn't happen because of the construction delays. The one scheduled this weekend is less than a month out from the women’s competition.

On Friday, the arena was obviously far from complete — in a cosmetic sense at least.

Seats were missing and there was an abundance of plastic sheeting. But organizers said those were just “the finishing touches.”

“The next two days will be really very important because they will allow us, having three matches a day, to test exactly the days as they will be in the Olympics,” Francisi said.

On Monday, International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif said parts of the arena might not be fully finished on time.

Ducrey thinks there is “no chance at all” it won’t be ready for competition.

“(Tardif) will spend the three days here, he’s going to have an opportunity to see the plans, to see the hockey going on ... but from our perspective it’s clear," Ducrey said. "We knew exactly where the venue would be at at this stage, and we are pleased with the progress.

“A lot more progress will be done so that we are absolutely ready for Games time.”

The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled from Feb. 11-22, the women’s from Feb. 5-19.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics

A view of the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Players battle for the puck during an Hockey Italy's Cup semifinals, SV between Kaltern Caldaro Rothoblaas and HCMV Varese Hockey, at the Olympic test event at the Ice Ockey Arena, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Pierre Ducrey, IOC Sport Director answers reporters at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Workers take a break at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

An outside view of the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent outfielder Max Kepler was suspended for 80 games on Friday following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball's drug program.

Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a substance that led to a suspension in 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the following year that a positive test for the substance caused it to disqualify 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a world record he had set at the 2018 Masters Track National Championship.

Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of Trenbolone, which is contained in some products used in body-building stores and has been used in products to promote cattle growth. Kepler is the first player suspended by MLB for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005.

There was no immediate comment from the players' association or his agency.

Kepler accepted the suspension without contesting the discipline in a grievance, a person familiar with the process told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.

Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major league veteran who spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies after playing his first 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He became a free agent after the World Series.

Fourteen players were suspended last year for positive tests, including two under the major league program. Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar was banned for 80 games on March 31 and Philadelphia Phillies closer José Alvarado for 80 games on May 25.

Even if Kepler doesn't have a contract by opening day in March, MLB and the union usually allow a suspended free agent to serve his penalty as long as he is attempting to reach a deal with teams. Because of the suspension, he will be ineligible for the 2026 postseason.

Kepler hit .216 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs last year after agreeing to a $10 million, one-year contract. He was slowed in 2024 by left patellar tendinitis and had core surgery after the season to repair a sports hernia.

Kepler grew up in Germany and signed with the Twins at age 16 in 2009. He has a .235 average with 179 homers and 560 RBIs in his big league career.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

FILE - Philadelphia Phillies' Max Kepler during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)